The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE national fifteens rugby player, Sanele “Smiley” Sibanda recently died in a car accident in the United Kingdom where he was now based.
Sibanda, who played lock, represented the Sables from 2010 until last year died at the beginning of this month at a young age of 29.
His brother, Libone announced the Sables player’s death on Monday on social media.
“It’s with deepest sadness and sorrow to inform you of the untimely death our beloved Sanele Nkosana Sibanda. Sanele, affectionately known as Smiley sadly passed away on the 1st of May due to a car accident,’’ read part of Libone’s post.
The announcement was received with sorrow and sadness within the Zimbabwe rugby fraternity, with the Zimbabwe Rugby Union sending out a condolence message to Sibanda’s family. ZRU described the late Sibanda as a gentle giant who was ever smiling.
“It is with great sadness that the Zimbabwe Rugby Union announces the passing of Sanele Nkosana ‘Smiley’ Sibanda, a Sables stalwart in an unfortunate automobile accident. The ZRU would like to extend their condolences to the Sibanda family. May they be comforted during this sad time. Gone too soon Sanele Smiley Sibanda,’’ said ZRU.
Most of his Sables teammates have taken to social media to express their shock at the sudden passing away of the lock.
The most devastated of them all is loose forward Biselele Tshamala who was Sibanda’s teammates for 16 years from their days at Plumtree High School, College Rovers, Sharks Club XV in South Africa and the Sables.
“That’s the most difficult part about trying to accept this is, we’ve been through the trenches, thick and thin together for 16 years of the craft. All I have left are lasting memories that I can fall and dwell on till the day we meet again and hope to create more while we reminisce on the past ones,’’ Tshamala said.
Educated at Milton Junior, Milton and Plumtree High Schools, Sibanda never represented the country at junior level. His Sables debut came at the 2010 Africa Cup Pool C tournament staged in Bulawayo and was won by Zimbabwe with a hard fought 28-22 triumph over Madagascar in the final.
Since then, the lock was a permanent feature in the Sables line up. Last year, he was only available for the Zimbabwe Academy in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge in South Africa. Commitments in the UK saw the second rower being unavailable for the Sables in the Victoria Cup, where Zimbabwe finished as the top team with just one defeat.
@Mdawini_29
